Method of measuring and packing press articles and press attachment used therein



w. R. SMITH' 2,119,561 THOD OF MEAS NG AND PACKING P s ARTICLES AND PRE ATTACHM USED T. REIN Filed March 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 7, 1938.

R. SMITH 2,119,561

W. METHOD OF MEASURING AND PACKING PRESS ARTICLES AND PRESS ATTACHMENT USED THEREIN Filed March 17, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 7, 1938.

June 7, 1938. w. R. SMITH 1 2,119,551

METHOD QF MEASURING AND PACKING PRESS ARTICLES AND PRESS ATTACHMENT USED THEREIN Filed March 17, 1934. 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F g? [2 r F5? 1 Z 3 a 42 52 a; Z; P E I /a/ 7 99 f if 2 6; 1

I 7; 9 W 34 I 9 60 I I Z/ 56 i m/ z/s/vfaa 1 0244. QM

Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF MEASURING AND PACKING PRESS ARTICLES AND PRESS ATTACH- lVIENT USED THEREIN Application March 17, 1934, Serial No. 716,200

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to' stacking, measuring and packing articles such as are produced in a press or other forming apparatus and has particular reference to a method of packaging these articles in stack formation as received directly from the press and also to an attachment for a press which carries out some of the steps of the method by receiving the articles as they come from the dies of the press and by stacking them within a removable magazine unit, a given measured charge being segregated from the supply of articles and the magazine unit with its charge being then removed and packed in a carton or other shipping container, the magazine unit holding the charge in fully stacked condition until it is fully inserted in the carton after which the magazine unit is withdrawn and the filled carton sealed.

An object of the present invention is the method of packing a stack, containing a predetermined number of articles, within a shipping package or container which comprises retaining the articles in stack formation as they are produced in a press and cutting off a given predetermined quantity, then holding the segregated charge for insertion into a shipping package which is sealed after the stack of articles is in place and the holding device has been removed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an attachment for a press for receiving articles from the dies of the press and for packing a measured quantity within a removable magazine unit.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an attachment for a press which holds a magazine unit in receiving position within the press so that articles as produced in the press are stacked within the unit and which segregates a measured predetermined quantity of articles from the supply in a form within the magazine unit for packing in a shipping case or the like.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a magazine unit holding and filling attachment for a press which is operated by the articles passing through the dies of the press so that a magazine unit gradually fills, features of the device insuring a measuring of the number of articles for the magazine unit, to the end that a predetermined measured charge of stacked articles may be enclosed within a suitable package or container.

A still further object is the provision of automatic press stopping devices in a machine of the character described which provide against an excessive fill of articles first within the magazine od invention and disclosing a magazine unit in position within a press and filled with a charge of articles, the view illustrating the measuring of the unit charge prior to its removal and packing;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the stacking and measuring attachment with the magazine unit removed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the magazine unit filled with a measured charge of articles;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a packing or shipping container showing it with the filled magazine unit inserted Fig. 5 illustrates the same in inverted position and showing the partial removal of the magazine unit;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sealed package or shipping container with its enclosed measured charge of articles;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a magazine unit in inserted position and ready to receive a supply of articles;

Fig. 8 is a face View of one form of blank or other stock material suitable for cutting in a press from which one form of article is produced;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of such an article after being blanked in the press;

Fig. 10 is a sectional View of the stacking and measuring attachment illustrating its relation to the press and showing a magazine unit in inserted position ready to receive articles from the press;

Figs. 11 and 12 are cross sectional views taken substantially along the line Il| and along the broken line |2l2 both in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the runway of the stacking and measuring attachment as viewed substantially along the line addition the blanking dies of the press, parts being broken away and some of the articles within the magazine having been removed.

The drawings disclose briefly the various steps of the instant method invention and also show I3-| 3 in Fig. '7 and illustrating inmore in detail the press attachment by means of which the most critical features of the inven-. tion are consummated. In the disclosure in the drawings a flat blank A is shown (Fig. 8) as be- 5 ingfrepresentative of a common" form of material as used in the canning industry and from this the fiat form shapefor disc B (Fig. 9) 'may be blanked out in the, press. Such a shape has been selected asillustrative of a. suitable article. for

' 1 packing. in a shipping container C. (Figs. 4 and 5.)

such article shapes being produced in gr at quantities.', i K

In the instant invention'the articles B are blanked in the dies of the press and these stack 15 up one by one preferably in the top of an inclined runway, Into this runway a holding device such as a magazine unit may be inserted at the bottom and the articles fill up in the unit from thetop atthe same time moving'astack retaining 20 member down until the articles reach to the bot of the magazine.

A predetermined quantity of articlesiis now segregated fromthe stack and only a measured 1 charge pf articles in'themagazin'e unit remains in 25 .theunit'as it is withdrawn frointhe press and replaced; by an empty unit. The articles still left" in. the runway are held :there, this -removal of ajfilled magazine and. its replacement by an empty one be'ingdone without stopping-the op- 1 3 0 eration. of the press or the progressiveaddition of mrunways. i@. V

.Thelfilled magazine unitmakes aconvenient unituarticleto handle and with its measured rticle'sjto'the top part of the stack within the '35.,charge is, inserted preferably from the bottom into a shipping container or carton closed atone end as shown in vFig. 4.. This package is now inverted and themagazine unit is withdrawn (Fig. .5) leaving the articles still in stack form within V 40 the. carton. This filled carton need only be closed "Catits' now top or open. end. to produce'the fin ished package D (Fig.6) .containingthe desired quantity of-arti'cles which may then. beshipped or disposed of as desired The press and the stacking and measuring at- V tachmentforreceiving the discsB willnow be considered in detail. 7 r The press comprisesa frame'2l .(Fig. 1)- having a bolster plate22 (Fig. .l3)fformed as an integral part of the 'frame. be mounted upon the bolster plate 22 and secured-inany suitable manner, this block holdinga blankingdie24 which cooperates with the usual 1 punch 25, the parts 24, 25 being illustrative'of 55 working elements of .press dies.

' The usual .opening throu h the die 24 (Fig. 13)

65 'Thetop bar 28 extends only a relatively short;

distance belowthe collar 3| and the runway below. the 'end of this bar is open along its top side as well as being open at its lower end; The 7 side 'bars'21-and the bottom bar 29 (Figs.- 2 and 70 .13)- beyond-the end of the bar 28fare held togetherbyan end yoke 34 and'an intermediate A support bar 36 1 (Figs. 1 and 10) is also" mounted in. the-press-and extends parallelyto andtdone side of the runway-28. The upperend and. 11.

A lower die block 23 may lever with the slide.

' withthe bottom of the support bar.

of this bar is bolted to' the collar 3| and its lower end is connected to a bracket 31 which in turn:

is secured to across bar 38 which extends between parts of and is bolted to the frame 2| of the pressf The bracket 31 is also connected to the end yoke 34 as at 39.

'A magazine unit is providedior receiving the articles and permittingeasy measuring and subsequent handling for packing and this unit is i preferably formed by four parallel spaced rods 4! (Fig 3). secured to aybottom block 42. "magazine unit is adapted for insertion into. the 7 lower open end ofthe runway 26, the two lower rods 4| in their inserted position being supported upon seats 43 formed in the Ushaped brackets'34, 35 and in a channel iron 45 extending between the brackets. The magazine unit is now-in position within the press'runway 26 so that theartic'les B passing down between the side bars 21 0f "the runway also pass in betweentherodsof and into the magazine unit. j

Provision is made for holding the magazine unit inits inserted position and for this purpose there This 7 is provided a clamping lever 48 (Figs. 2, 7 and 11), V

which is pivoted orra pin 50 held in a bracket 5|. This bracket may be an integral part .with .aslide; 52.1 The support bar 36 is preferably grooved along .both sides to form. channels 53 and the s1idel52- is suspended onian'd moves beneath the supportbar 36, portionsof the slide extending up into the channels 53. r

' The slide 52 during the filling of the magazine remains 'stationaryand when each'magazine unit is inserted in the press this slide is located in its uppermost position, that is, with its upper end against 'a stop pin 54 (Fig. 7) carried in and extendingdown from the support bar 36. In this located position the lever 48 is in a position just beneath the bottom block 42 of the magazine unit and as it is brought into its horizontal clamp: ing position (Fig. '11) a projection 55 of the lever engages below the bottom of the magazine unit and holds it in place.

Thelever 48 is formed with an operating han-. I

dle 56 by means of which it may be-easily moved from the open .or unclarnped position of Fig. 2 into thehorizontal clamping position of Figs. 7

by the lever and which frictionally' holds the slide 52 in its located position against thestop pin; 54 will next be considered.

The slide 52(Fig. 11) carries a pin 51 sup- The clamping action as it is effected ported in lugs projecting down from the slide body on one side. A lever 58 has one end pivotally mounted on the pin 51 and-its opposite end 59. extends beneath the pin 50 which connects the Slide 52 is formed with an aperture 60 and a clamping pad 6| of suitable resilient and frictional material such as rubber is carried in a holder 62 which is located within the opening 60. 1

During the positioning of the slide 52 against.-

its stop pin 54-and while thelever 48 is in raised non-clamping'position, the slide is free to move.

on-the support bar 36. At such a time the. lever 48 holds the pad 6| out of clampingengagementf purpose the lever 48 is formed with a projection For this 63' and when the lever is in its raised position this projection presses down'on an insert plate 64 carried in the end 59 of the lever 58 and holds down the engaged end of thisleven.

A spring 651s located on a pin 66 which is carried in-the slide 52 and which projects down 7 through an opening in the lever 58 adjacent the plate 64. A washer with a nut 61 threadedly engaged on the pin 66 holds the spring 65 so that its upper end presses against the lever 58. As soon as the lever 48 is brought down into clamping position and in holding engagement with the bottom block 42 of the magazine unit, its projection 63 is moved up and out of engagement with the insert plate 64. This is the position shown in Fig. 11.

The spring 65 being new unrestricted forces up on the free end 59 of the lever 58 and this moves the pad 6| into clamping engagement with the lower face of the support bar 36. This yieldingly holds the slide 52 at a given position on the support bar and at the same time retains the-lever 48 in position and through it the magazine unit which is thus held in its inserted position. The articles B passing down within the runway 26 now move in between the bars 4| of the magazine unit coming into stack position within the magazine.

During this filling of articles in the magazine unit the bottom of the stack is yieldingly held by a slide unit also carried on the support bar 36. As each article is added to the upper end of the stack such a slide unit moves down with the entire stack a distance sufficient to accommodate the new addition.

This slide unit comprises a slide 69 (Figs. 1 and 12) which is mounted to slide upon the support bar 36 being formed with lower slide projections which extend into and move along the channels 53 of the support bar. The channels 53 are wide enough to accommodate the slide projections of both slides 52 and 69 and these lower and upper slide projections do not interefere with one another so that there is no interference between the two slides and one slide can therefore move adjacent the other.

The slide 69 is extended laterally on one side and vertically into a slide frame 18 which is located over the runway 26 and at the time the articles begin to pass into the inserted magazine unit this frame is over the upper end of the magazine unit. A vertically movable blade H is slidably mounted in the frame 10 and carries at its upper end a handle 12. The lower end of the blade II is sharpened or beveled at 13 and this end at such a time extends down in the path of the articles B within the runway 26 and supports the lower end of the stack of articles.

The slide 69 carries a bell crank lever 15 which is pivotally connected on a pin 16 carried in lugs formed in the slide on the side opposite to the blade I I. This bell crank lever pivotally supports a clamping holder 11 which is suspended on a pin 18 carried in the lever. The holder 11 is located in an opening 19 formed in the slide 69 and carries a clamping pad 88 which, like the pad 6| of the slide 52, is of suitable frictional material.

Pad 80 is normally held down against the upper surface of the support bar 36 under spring action. For this purpose the bell crank lever 15 extends beyond the pin 18 in a slotted end 8|. A stud 82 is threadedly secured in the slide 69 and extends up and through the slotted end 8| of the bell crank lever 15. This lever end and stud support a spring 84 which is held confined by a washer and by a nut 85 threadedly engaging the stud.

Spring 84 pressing down on the lever end 8|, as long as the bell crank lever is free to move, holds the clamp unit with its pad 80 in frictional engagement against the support bar 36. This clamping action is sufficient to retain the slide 69 in position against inadvertent movetional articles B are inserted into the top of the stack.

The slide 69 thus intermittently moves down a distance equal to the entire length of the magazine unit rods 4| until the blade ll strikes against the bottom 42 of the unit. The striking position is shown in dotted lines in Fig..13 at which time the magazine unit will be filled. The operator can immediately perform the measuring operation or if he does not attend at once to the magazine and its charge, the magazine unit, the slide 69 and the slide will simultaneously move down as the articles continue to fill in at the top of the stack.

Provision is made for automatically stopping the press in the event that this downward movement continues beyond a point of safety. This may be done in a number of different ways, one such method being briefly indicated in Fig. 10. A rod 86 is pivotally connected at one end as at 81 to the slide 52 and extends at the other end through an arm 88 of an electric switch box 89 secured in the press frame 2|. The rod 86 is formed with a hooked end.96 and as the'slide 52 moves down along the support bar 36, the rod 86 is pulled between spaced pins 9| carried in the switch arm 88.

As the limit of movement of the slide 52 is reached, the hooked end 99 of the rod engages the upper pin 9|. Continued movement of the slide 52 from this position now shifts the switch arm 88 against the action of a spring 92 and this in turn stops the operation of the press or the feeding of the blank A into its dies in any suit- 7 able manner.

To measure a charge of articles B now in the filled magazine unit, the operator grasps the handle 12 of the blade H and raises it until a shoulder 93 formed on the blade strikes against the lower edge of the guideway frame 10. This raising of the blade not only removes it from its position at the bottom of the stack of articles B but also releases the spring clamp action on the pad 88 resting against the top of the guidebar 36 under the action of the spring 84.

An arm 94 (Figs. 1 and 12) is pivotally connected on a stud 95 carried in lugs 96 formed on the slide 69. This arm 94 is loosely connected with the blade H by means of a pin 91, carried in the blade, which moves within a slotted end of the arm. The boss of the arm 94 which is mounted on the stud 95, is formed with a cam projection 98 and when the arm is lifted by the raising of the blade H this cam projection strikes against a pin 99 carried on an arm I60 of the bell crank lever I5.

The pin 99 and the lever arm I80 are moved back, oscillating the bell crank lever on its pivotal support 16, against the action of the spring 84, lifting the holder 11 and its clamping pad 89 from clamping position on the support bar. This frees the slide 69 which may then be easily moved. With the blade H in raised position the slide 69 is slid back or retracted along the support bar into a measuring position.

.A chain IOI is secured at its upper end to the slide 69 and at its lower end to the slide 52. This chain limits the amount of distance the slide 69 can be separated above the slide 52 which, it will be recalled, is still at the bottom of the magazine unit irrespective of how far the unit and slide have moved. With the chain taut slide 69 is. now adjacent the top of what will constitute ment but is not strong enough to resist the con-- stant downward pressure of the press as addiioi sticker .105 or otherwise.

the measured charge of'articles' B in the 'maga-" zine when the measuring operation is completed;

" With the slide '59 in this position the blade 1] is forceddown (Fig. 1)and its beveled edge'i13t.

5? passes between and separates the articles B within the stackinto two sections. This segregates a Y predetermined quantity of articles inthe magazine unitfromlthe rest of .the stack of articles in "the runway 26. At'the same timelowering of 101 the blade H carries the cam end 98 of the arm 94 out 'of'holding position and allows the spring 84 .to press the 'pad 80 against the support bar 35.

' The handle 48 is now raised to unlock the maga- 'zine unit from its inserted position and the magaf zine with its charge of articles is then drawn out 7 from the press while the blade 1 I holds back the articles remaining in the press runway (Fig. 2) This magazine unitwith its charge of articles is shown in detail in' Fig. 3. This segregation of the'articles and the withdrawal of a filled magazine constitutes a major feature of the instant in vention. Each time the magazine isjwithdrawn from the press after such; segregationi there is theassurance that the charge of articles within Tthe magazine is'of a predetermined quantity.

Aiship'ping containe'r'bo'x, or carton C is now invertedover the top of the magazine. This carton maybe of the form illustrated in Fig.4' with its bottom end closed exceptfor its corners 30. which are open. In fully inserted position, the

upper ends of the rods 4| of the magazine unit protrude through these corner openings and extend beyond the, closed end of the box or carton. Carton C with its contained magazine and charge of articles is nowturned overwhereuponthe magazine unit is withdrawn (Fig. 5) from the top leaving the charge ofarticles therein. A final sealing.

of the carton C may be had in any suitable man- 'ner' as by folding in end flaps and sealing by a This completes the steps of the instant method and produces the V funit package, D

shown in Fig. 6. V

It 'shouldgbe observed that whenan empty .45 magazine unit isinserted into the runway ZB the slide 52 is always pushed back' into, position againstthe stop pin 54. This restores the switch arm 88 in the event that the slide 52 had been carried down beyond the safety point. 7 Since 50 the filling of articles B into the runway is taking place all of this time, except where the press a has been stopped by the switch 89 in which event the press will resume operations as soon-as the switch arm '88 is released. it may be that when 55 a magazine unit is inserted the slide 69 has'already moved down. In fact the upper position of this slide relative to the runway 26 varies, as

where the operator has not immediately removed a filled magazine unit, but these conditions do 60 not afiect the correct measuring of a charge of articles. A new magazine may become ,filled immediately after. it' is inserted but the length of the chain I0], which remains constant, always 7 determines the number of" articles segregated 65 from the runway stack.

It is thought that the invention and, many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,

70.construction, and arrangement of 7 parts of the apparatus mentionedherein and in the'steps and their order of accomplishment of the process described herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing 75iiall of its material advantages, the apparatus-and presenting the appearance as charge of'st'acked articles within the magazine;

moving said segregated quantityof articles'bodily with said'magazine and longitudinally of therun- 5 way by the pressure of succeeding non-segregated articles in the runway while preservingthe segre gated relation of such articles with respect to the remainder of the moving stack in the runway,"

7 whereby said magazine with its measured charge zo;

maybe removed 'asfa unit from the runwayand inserted within a container to'deposit the charge therein while .holdingthe articles against in-r dividual relative rotation.

2.; The :method of gmeasuringand: packing 'ar-- ticles in stack formation asreceived from a press;

which consists in feeding the articlestc'a runway and thence tea magazine and stacking the articles therein as they come fromrthe press; segre gating and; confining a predeterminedjquanti-ty 30.5; V of the'stacked articles" within the magazine while thepress, continues, to operate and while the ar-" ticles continue to stack to provide a measured charge of stacked articles, separating said measured charge from'the'remainingarticles in the stack while preserving'itsv axial alignment with the :latter, moving said measured charge bodily with said magazine relative to and longitudinally of the runwayby the pressure of succeeding nonsegregatedarticles in the runway while"main-';

taining-thegseparatedrelation of the charge with respect to *the remainder of the moving stack in: the runway, and-"holding thearticles against in dividual rotation during stackingandl'removal;

wherebysaid removed magazine'fc'ontaining a predetermined charge'of the stacked articles may I be filled as a unit: into a receptacle.

In a stacking andmeasuring attachment for a press, the'combination of a storage runway for receiving articlesin'st'ackformationas produced by the press, a-magazine unit for holding said articles; means associated withsaid runway for. holding said magazine :unit in receiving position so that the articles pass' from said runway into said magazine-,- and means also associated with said runway and movable into aiposition which isagiven distance from th'eibottom of said magazine unitior'measuring a predetermined quan' tity of articles ins'aid' magazine. 1

4". In a stacking and measuring attachment 'for a press, the combination of a storage runway for receiving articles in stack for'mationas pro duced by the press, a magazine unit for holding saidartic'les; means associated with said runway for holding said magazine unit in receiving positionwithin the press so that the articles passfrom said runway into said magazine, means also associated withsaid'runway and movable into anposition' which is a given distance from the bottom":

ofs'aidmagazine unit formeasuring a predetermined quantity of articles in said magazine, and;

devices associated withsaid measuring means for f retaining the stack of articles in said runway while said-filled magazine unit isremoved and replaced by an empty magazine unit.- V

5. In a stacking and measuring attachment for a press, the combination of a storage runway for receiving articles in stack formation as produced by the press, a magazine unit for holding said articles, means associated with said runway for holding said magazine unit in receiving position so that the articles pass from said runway into said magazine, means also associated with said runway and movable into a position which is a given distance from the bottom of said magazine unit for measuring a predetermined quantity of articles in said magazine, and devices also associated with said runway for cutting out a predetermined quantity of articles from the stack in said runway and in said magazine so that the latter when removed contains only that predetermined quantity.

6. In a stacking and measuring attachment for a press, the combination of a storage runway for receiving articles in stack formation as produced by the press, a magazine unit for holding said articles, means associated with said runway for holding said magazine unit in receiving position in the press so that the articles pass from said runway into said magazine, a slideway located at one side of said held magazine, means also associated with said runway and movable in said slideway for measuring a predetermined quantity of articles in said magazine, and devices associated with said measuring means for cutting out the desired predetermined quantity of articles from the stack so that the magazine unit when removed contains only that measured quantity.

'7. In a stacking and measuring attachment for a press, the combination of a magazine unit for holding the articles produced by the press, a storage runway for first receiving the articles in stacked formation as produced by the press said.

runway being also adapted toreceive said magazine unit, a slideway located at one side of said held magazine, a slide movable on said slideway, means associated with said runway and carried by said slide for holding said magazine unit in inserted position in the press so that the articles pass from said runway into said magazine, a second slide also movable on said slideway and means associated with said runway and with said second slide for measuring and segregating a predetermined quantity of articles in said magazine.

8. In a stacking and measuring attachment for a press, the combination of a storage runway for receiving articles in stacked formation as produced by the press, a removable magazine unit adapted for insertion into one end of said storage runway and into receiving position so that the articles pass from said runway into said inserted magazine, the magazine thereupon functioning for holding said articles, a pair of slides associated with said runway and movable parallel to the line of travel of the articlesentering said magazine, and means associated with said runway and utilizing said slides for measur: ing and segregating a predetermined quantity of articles while in said magazine as a unit charge.

9. In a stacking and measuring attachment for a press, the combination of a storage runway for receiving articles in stack formation as produced by the press, a magazine unit for holding said articles, means associated with said runway for holding said magazine unit in receiving position, means for retaining said articles in stack form while at the same time moving in synchronism with the operations of the press so that the articles pass from said runway into said magazine,

means associated with said magazine holding and said stack retaining means for measuring and segregating a predetermined quantity of articles in said magazine, and means for clamping said stack retaining means in operating position while said magazine is removed with its segregated articles.

10. In a stacking and measuring attachment for a press, the combination of a magazine unit for holding the articles produced by the press, a storage runway for first receiving the articles in stack formation as produced by the press, said runway being also adapted to receive said magazine unit, means associated with said runway for holding said magazine unit in inserted position in the press so that the articles pass from said runway into said magazine, said magazine unit holding means yielding to permit movement of said magazine unit after accumulation of a given number of articles in said unit, and means for stopping the feeding of articles into said runway when articles accumulate in said magazine beyond a certain quantity.

11. The method of measuring and packing non-circular sheet metal articles in stacked arrangement as they are punched, which consists in punching the articles, guiding the articles into stacked arrangement within a runway and thence to a magazine while holding the articles from individual rotation, thereby giving corresponding and uniform alignment in the runway and magazine to the non-circular parts of said articles constituting the stack, segregating a predetermined quantity of said articles from the remainder of the moving stack, and bodily moving said segregated quantity of articles while in said magazine relative to the runway by the pressure of succeeding non-segregated articles in the runway and longitudinally of the moving stack therein while maintaining their separated relation with respect to the latter.

WILLIAM ROSS SMITH. 

